MANILA, Philippines -- The United States on Friday vowed to provide $2.5 million (about P125 million) in assistance to individuals and families displaced by the resumption of hostilities between Philippine forces and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebels, the US embassy here said in a statement.
US Ambassador Kristie Kenney made the announcement during her visit to an evacuation center for internally displaced people in Datu Odin Sinsuat town in Maguindanao province.
"The assistance includes 1,480 metric tons of US rice, valued at approximately $2 million, for free distribution by the United Nations World Food Program, as well as water, health, and sanitation support by NGO [non-government organization] partners," the embassy said.
The WFP, for its part, said the US’ in-kind contribution is set to arrive between late February and early March.
When the conflict resumed in August after the Supreme Court stopped the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain between the Philippine government and the MILF, international organizations like the WFP and foreign governments have been providing essential relief goods to the affected provinces.
The US distributes them to people in North Cotabato, Lanao Del Norte, Sarangani, and Maguindanao through Save the Children.
Last month, the European Union earmarked seven million euros for two separate projects aimed to help civilian victims of the ongoing Mindanao conflict.
Since August, the WFP has provided rice and other relief goods to more than half a million displaced Mindanaoans.
"My thoughts are with those who have been displaced by fighting, people whose lives have been lost and disrupted," said Kenney.
"Working together, we can help Mindanao move toward peace and prosperity, so the citizens of Mindanao -- especially the children -- may have the future they deserve."
During her visit to Datu Odin Sinsuat and Cotabato today, the ambassador also recognized the work of the National Disaster Coordinating Council, the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council, the Department of Social Welfare and Development, and the Departments of Health of the national government and in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) to improve the health and sanitation situation to people who were forced to flee their homes due to the violence.
